Back to the Dinner Table

Easy, comforting weeknight recipes to ease the shift from summer chaos to autumn routine

September is here along with the welcome shift of routines. The stretch of all those long summer evenings tightens, and suddenly there’s a familiar pull back to routine- school runs, busy evenings, and the reliable chaos of the dinner table. This week's recipes are about food that makes that transition feel comforting. Family crowd-pleasers that don’t try too hard, weeknight wins that feel a little more special, and recipes that bring us gently into the new season without sending you into full Sunday roast mode.

One-Tray Sunday Roast Chicken Dinner

The One-Tray Sunday Roast Chicken Dinner is exactly what you want in your back pocket this time of year. Roast chicken without the ceremony, but all the satisfaction. The chicken thighs stay juicy while baby potatoes soak up all the good stuff- white wine, lemon zest, garlic and your choice of greens to keep things bright. You’ll only need one tray, but it delivers everything you want from a “proper” dinner. Great for Sundays, even better on a Monday with leftovers to keep you going.

One-Pan Cheat’s Mushroom Lasagne

The One-Pan Cheat’s Mushroom Lasagne does away with layering and leaning over the oven, but keeps all the payoff. It’s rich and creamy, with a double hit of cheese and a herby béchamel that comes together quickly. The trick here is using fresh lasagne sheets that cook straight in the sauce. It’s comfort food without the usual 90-minute commitment. Add a sharply dressed salad and a glass of red, and that’s dinner done.

Irish Sausage & White Bean Cassoulet with Herby Garlic Crumb

Lastly an Irish Sausage & White Bean Cassoulet with Herby Garlic Crumb that feels fancy but is the recipe you make when you want a meal that feels slow-cooked without actually being slow-cooked. Browning the sausages gives you flavour from the start, and the base is a familiar mirepoix with just enough Dijon and wine to lift it. Tinned beans and cabbage go straight in, and the real genius is in those crisp rosemary breadcrumbs scattered on top- the kind of finishing touch that turns it into something you’d happily serve to friends.

These are dinners that understand the brief: comforting, reliable and smart enough to bring you back around the table even when everything else around you gets busier.

Photography Credit: Donal Skehan & Tara Fisher

Food Styling Credit: Charlotte O’Connell